A fateful night
by AbbyLockhartCarter
Summary: What would have happened if Abby had stayed with Richard and had a child.


WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED HAD ABBY STAYED WITH RICHARD AND HAD A BABY.  
  
"Astrid Abigail Lockhart, get downstairs right now." Abby called her daughter from downstairs to her room where Astrid was trying on her new clothes that she had gotten earlier today from the mall.  
  
"What is it, mom?" Astrid asked innocently.  
  
" I was just on the phone with your math teacher. She said that you have been skipping class, is that true young lady?" Abby asked, raising one eyebrow.  
  
"No, I didn't go to one class because I was talking with Mrs. Lahiatt about my Chem lab. I thought I had study but I guess I had math. I'm sorry mom, I am just getting used to this new schedule. I told my math teacher that but she failed to believe me. I'll ask Mrs. Lahiatt to talk to her about it." Astrid explained.  
  
Abby breathed a sigh of relief. "Well, if what you're telling me is true than I guess I owe you an apology for blowing up at you." Abby said.  
  
"Its true mom and its okay. Apology accepted!" Astrid exclaimed and hugged her mother. Astrid and her mother were very close. Astrid didn't get along with her father, Richard and frankly, she didn't think that her mom got along all that well with him either.  
  
"Alright, now get that cute little butt of yours upstairs and into bed. Its late and by the way, those pants look awesome on you. We are so sharing them!" Abby said.  
  
"Yeah, okay mom." Astrid replied and playfully rolled her eyes.  
  
"Get up there, you!" Abby said playfully.  
  
Abby sat at the kitchen counter and waited for her husband to come home. It was Thursday night which meant that he'd come home and expect dinner to be ready, and it was. He'd expect to change first, have his dinner and continue with his normal nightly routine of watching TV and checking his email. He'd check to make sure that his clothes were neatly folded and that his bathroom was tidied. He was a controlling man, that was for sure. He needed an attitude adjustment. She looked at her watch, it was 10:00 which was late for him to come home. Just as she was thinking about wiping down the table one more time she heard the key in the door. She must have jumped a mile high as the sound was out of the dead silence. Richard stumbled into the apartment. Oh no she thought. He's drunk. He has done this before, gone out to get drinks with the guys after work but this time he seemed really drunk. She stayed clear out of his way as he stumbled his way into the kitchen.  
  
"Abigail, where's dinner?" He slurred.  
  
Abby pointed to the table and with fear in her eyes, she watched as he tried to sit down but missed the chair. When he got up his eyes were filled with fury.  
  
"God damn it Abby, what did you do to the chair?" Richard asked furiously trying to stand up.  
  
Abby carefully helped him up. " Richard, your drunk, please just go get on the couch."  
  
" I AM NOT DRUNK YOU BITCH" Richard yelled and punched Abby in the eye. Abby held her eye in pain and tried to get the phone to dial 911. Just as she heard Astrid come down the stairs she blacked out.  
  
"Mom! Mom, oh my God!" Astrid cried and picked up the phone that her mother dropped. She could hear her father messing around with the TV, mumbling and cursing in the other room and knew she needed to get help. She dialed 911 and explained to them what her emergency was. They told her not to touch her mother and to try not to upset her father. They would be sending a police car along with an ambulance to her house shortly. Just as Abby started to come to, the ambulance arrived and the paramedics and police knocked loudly on the door. Astrid was afraid that her father would hear them so she quickly ran to the door and opened it. Astrid did not realize that her father was right behind her with a knife. The police ran in and started to wrestle her father to the ground, as he was trying to get at Astrid. Astrid ran over to the paramedics and watched her mother be lifted onto a gurney.  
  
"Will she be okay?" Astrid asked wide-eyed.  
  
"She's going to be fine, sweetheart. She just passed out from the pain. But we do want to get her to the hospital right now and you need to come as well. You may ride in the ambulance with your mother if you like." One of the paramedics said.  
  
"Okay, I'm also going to call my Aunt Susan. She's a doctor at County ER She knows my mom really well." Astrid said, getting her cell phone out and dialing Susan's number.  
  
"Hello?" Susan's voice answered at the other end.  
  
"Aunt Susan, this is Astrid." Astrid said shakily.  
  
"Astrid, honey what's wrong?" Susan said worriedly.  
  
"It's mom, Aunt Susan, dad hurt her. She's okay but I'm really scared. What if he does it again? What if he hurts me? What if-" Astrid stopped as she started to cry.  
  
"Astrid, don't cry. It's going to be alright. I'll be right at the front waiting for you guys, okay? Don't worry sweetheart." Susan said calmly.  
  
"Okay, we're coming soon." Astrid said and hung up. They were very close to County. When the rig stopped and the doors opened, Astrid climbed out first and ran into the waiting arms of Susan.  
  
"Aunt Susan, I'm so scared, please, please don't leave me." She said muffled against Susan's lab coat.  
  
"I won't leave you sweetheart. I promise I'm right here." She said rubbing her back. 


End file.
